Manchester Commemorates Juneteenth
During late 2020, the Town of Manchester announced that Juneteenth, a holiday commemorating the end of slavery, would officially be celebrated as a town holiday. Come celebrate with your friends, family and neighbors and spend your Juneteenth at our slate of celebratory events!
Stage Schedule
Opening Block (11:00 AM-11:30 AM)
- Town of Manchester Introductions
- Libation Ceremony with Brother Abu
- African American & Black Affairs Council
- Poetry with Kwasi Ntem-Mensah
DJ Performance (11:30 AM-12:00 PM)
Featured Performances (12:00 PM – 2:00 PM)
- Mixed Company (12:00 PM – 1:30 PM)
- Hartford’s Proud (1:30 PM – 2:00 PM)
DJ Performance (2:00 PM-2:40 PM)
Closing Block (2:40 PM-3 PM)
- Black Joy Poetry Contest
- Closing Remarks with Janzé Richardson
Food Vendor Market
- Cream Time
- Decadent Dogs
- Kona Ice
- Pop’s Hot Diggity Dogs
- Sabores Mexicanos Foodtruck
- Thomas Smokey Pit Stop
- The Wright Slice of Cheesecake
Vendor Market
- A Clay Zone
- African American and Black Affairs Council (AABAC)
- AppleFallsPrints
- Big Red Book Truck
- History Chip
- Hippie Love
- Key Key Kreations LLC
- Town of Manchester’s Bicentennial
- Town of Manchester’s Sustainability Commission
Why do we commemorate Juneteenth?
Juneteenth, refers to the nineteen day of June.
- President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863 freeing all enslaved people in the confederate states.
- Two and a half years later, on June 19, 1865 over 250,000 enslaved people in Galveston, Texas were informed by federal troops they were free, and no longer the property of “slaveholders”.
- The continuing struggle of African American/Black people for full citizenship, inclusion and equity has continued through-out the history of the United States, and striving for full attainment of these rights remains a priority at this time.
Why is the Pan-African Flag Used on Juneteenth?
The Pan-African flag was created in 1920 to represent people of the African Diaspora and to symbolize black liberation in the United States. As flags symbolize the union of governance, people, and territory, this flag was created to give Black people in America and the world over a symbol that unifies the Diaspora.
- Red stands for blood — both the blood shed by Africans who died in their fight for liberation, and the shared blood of the African people all over the world.
- Black represents, black people and the color of skin.
- Green is a symbol of growth and the natural fertility of Africa.